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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Adarius Avery
69
Winner Fort Hays State FHSU 16-9, 10-6 MIAA
66
Central Oklahoma UCO 10-15, 3-13 MIAA
Winner
Fort Hays State FHSU
16-9, 10-6 MIAA
69
Final
66
Central Oklahoma UCO
10-15, 3-13 MIAA
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Fort Hays State FHSU 29 40 69
Central Oklahoma UCO 34 32 66

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Haley Eldridge

Bronchos Fall Short At Home

EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma men's basketball team lost to Fort Hays State 69-66 on Thursday night. The Bronchos move to 10-15 overall and 3-13 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. 

"It's a tough one to lose that close." UCO head coach Tom Hankins said. "I'm proud of our guys for battling, but we have some things we need to work on for the next one." 

Adarius Avery led the Bronchos with a season high of 36 points. He added five rebounds and one steal on the night. Marquis Johnson added seven points and Dashon Bell added six. 

The Bronchos shot 43.1 percent from the field and 30.4 percent from the three-point line. They continue to knock down free-throws, having an 83.3 percent from the line on the game. The UCO defense forced 14 turnovers and had 15 of their points from fast break. 

The first half started with Fort Hays knocking down an easy jumper to take the lead right away. They knocked down a free-throw and another jumper before the Bronchos got on the board. Avery then took it in for a layup, missing but drawing the foul and knocking down two free-throws to start UCO off. 

It soon became the Avery show scoring six straight. With 10 minutes to go Avery knocked down a jumper right in front of the three-point line to extend the Bronchos lead to three. The UCO defense forced a Tiger turnover to get the ball back. Jordan Hemphill drove into the lane for a foul, knocking down the free-throws.

The first half went back and forth, both teams leading by as many as five. With a little over a minute left in the half, UCO crashed the boards and got a defensive rebound throwing the ball down to Avery for a dunk to put them up by five going into halftime. 

The Bronchos came out at halftime to extend their lead to eight with a three-point field goal from Bell. The ballgame continued to go back-and-forth just like the first half but extended their lead to five with 10 minutes left when Avery knocked down a layup and a free-throw, forced a Tiger turnover and Colt Savage took it in for an easy layup. 

The game came down to the wire in the last couple minutes. With one-minute left in the half Fort Hays scored a 3-point field goal to go up by four points. That forced the Bronchos to foul and get them to the line to try and get the ball back. The Tigers knocked down both and extended the lead to six with just thirty seconds to go. 

Avery got a big dunk to shorten the lead and the Bronchos fouled immediately on the pass in and Fort Hays knocked them both down. With twenty seconds left Avery knocked down a three-pointer to shorten Fort Hays lead to just three, but it wasn't enough time to catch back up. 

The Bronchos are back in action on Saturday, Feb. 23 at 3:30 p.m. against Nebraska Kearney. They will face their rival, Northeastern State next Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m. 
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